Educate Your Fleet On How To Be Safe On The Road- Driving Safety Tips For Employees!

A recent study conducted by the Health and Safety Executive indicated that approximately one-third of all motorway accidents involved at least one individual who was using the vehicle for work-related duties at the time. A considerable portion of this figure involves fleet accidents. In order to better appreciate how to be safe on the road, it is important to highlight some professional recommendations as well as the beneficial results that they can provide to your entire firm.

Attributing for the Human Factor

Similar to aeroplane incidents, it is estimated that up to 95 percent of vehicular accidents are the direct results of driver mistakes. This is why it is critical for management to provide timely driving safety tips for employees. Proper training and an adherence to the appropriate safety policies should never be taken lightly. Adopting these techniques can help to prevent potentially serious situations. Still, there are several issues which should be highlighted during any type of instructional programme. These will often include:

Situational awareness.

The role of driver fatigue and how it can contribute to an accident.
The capacity to handle a large fleet vehicle (such as an extended van or a lorry).
Addressing the issue of overconfidence while on the motorway.

All of these metrics should be encompassed within a Work-Related Risk Policy (WRRP). If operators are better able to appreciate the potential causes of accidents, they will be provided with the cognisance required to avoid such serious situations.

Proper Fleet Maintenance

Driving safety tips for employees should involve much more than policy and procedure. They also need to address fleet vehicle maintenance. Failure to adopt this approach is particularly risky, as even the best drivers can fall victim to scenarios such as faulty brakes or a broken windscreen. It is the responsibility of management to make absolutely certain that their fleet is properly maintained at all times. Some of the steps which should be taken include (but may not be limited to):

Timely MOT inspections.

Adjustments for different weather conditions (such as snow tyres during colder months).
Equipping each vehicle with safety measures such as flares and triangular reflectors.

Employees should likewise be encouraged (and even obliged) to check the condition of their fleet vehicle. This proactive stance is the best way to prevent an issue before it takes a physical toll.

Enhancing Professional Accountability

Let us imagine for a moment that an accident occurs even after having taken the actions mentioned above. After the initial fall-out has settled, it is important to determine the root cause of the incident as well as to identify any ways in which a similar situation can be averted in the future. This will often come in the form of a post-accident report. Other stipulations highlighted by the Health and Safety Executive outline the number of hours a driver can legally operated a fleet vehicle as well as the required downtime before the next shift takes place. Not only does management need to address how to be safe on the road from a general standpoint, but it must take an active role at all times in order to reduce the occurrences of serious situations.

There is no way to completely eliminate the chances of a fleet-related accident. The recommendations mentioned above are rather meant to mitigate the frequency of such occurrences. Safety is a deadly serious subject and thankfully, the right amount of preparation will help to ensure that the correct methods are put in place from the beginning.